It is well-established that rehabilitation programs for most anti-social behavior is inadequate. The very high rate of recidivism for violent criminals, drug abusers, and pedophiles, for example, is well-established. Simply building more prisons to warehouse these individuals has placed a severe burden upon the economic resources of society. Moreover, the personal tragedy of a life wasted by fatal behavior flaws defies economic analysis.
Our understanding of the origins of aberrant behavior has increased dramatically in the last decades. The ability to successfully control the extremes of aberrant behavior such as schizophrenia by neuro-pharmacologic manipulation suggested that a neurotransmitter-related abnormality could be the source of less extreme abnormal behavior. The more recent success of psychoactive drugs such as Prozac on personality traits such as shyness confirmed this concept.
In addition, neuropharmacologic research has identified specific neuroanatomic sites involved in specific anti-social behavior. For example, Snyder's discovery of endorphins and their localization has pinpointed a critical site involved in narcotics abuse.
As neurophysiologists have explored the neuroanatomic substrate for learned behavior it has become apparent that interneuronal connectivity is influenced by repetitive stimuli (behavior) and that, once established, this neuroanatomic configuration could perpetuate unwanted, anti-social behavior.
Pharmacologic manipulation of unwanted behavior patterns is limited by the multi-functionality of many neurotransmitters. That is to say, for example, the lack of the neurotransmitter seratonin in the limbic system is associated with aggression (violence), but it is also involved in the production of melatonin which regulates diurnal rhythm in the pineal gland. Moreover, to be effective, pharmacologic therapy requires voluntary compliance.